UPDATE 2-Mexico admits mistake in high-profile drug case

June 23, 2012|Reuters

* Botched arrest an embarrassment to Mexican government

* Ruling party had claimed credit for capture

(Updates with fresh quotes, details)

MEXICO CITY, June 22 (Reuters) - Mexico on Friday admittedit had mistakenly claimed to have captured a son of Mexico'smost wanted drug lord, Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman, which the rulingparty had hailed as a major victory in its war on cartels.

Mexican marines seized the man on Thursday outsideGuadalajara and flew him to Mexico City, where they paraded himin front of the media and identified him as Jesus AlfredoGuzman, alias "El Gordo" or "The Fat One."

The man's lawyer, Veronica Guerrero, told a news conferenceearlier on Friday her client's real name was Felix Beltran andthat he was an innocent car dealer.

The federal attorney general's office said late on Fridaythe man arrested was indeed Beltran, without giving any furtherdetails.

The mix-up is a major embarrassment for the government,which has been heavily criticized for failing to contain theviolence and flow of drugs since President Felipe Calderon sentin the military to fight the cartels shortly after taking officein December 2006.

Marines said they apprehended the man with an arsenal ofrifles, pistols and grenades and about $160,000 in cash.

Javier Oliva, a political scientist from the NationalAutonomous University of Mexico, said the snafu showed how poorthe coordination is between U.S. intelligence agencies as wellas their cooperation with Mexican counterparts.

"This is really serious. Nothing like this has ever happenedbefore," he said, wondering how the agencies had gone public onthe arrest without making the proper checks. "The mainresponsibility here lies with the DEA."

Thursday's arrest won praise from the U.S. Drug EnforcementAdministration, which has sought Jesus Alfredo Guzman since hewas indicted for cocaine trafficking in 2009.

His father, the elder Guzman, faces dozens of charges ofracketeering and drug smuggling in U.S. courts. There is a $5million reward for his capture.

The arrest came just over a week before Mexicans vote for aleader to replace Calderon, whom the constitution bars fromseeking a second term. Brutal clashes between drug cartels andMexican authorities have killed more than 55,000 people sinceCalderon launched his crackdown on the gangs.

"This is confirmation that President Calderon's strategydoesn't work," said Alberto Islas, a security expert atconsultancy Risk Evaluation. He said the botched arrestdemonstrated the weakness of Mexico's own intelligenceapparatus.

The candidate of Calderon's National Action Party, JosefinaVazquez Mota, is running in third place in most polls, partlybecause of public dissatisfaction over the drug war.

On Thursday, Vazquez Mota congratulated the marines on thearrest, in comments relayed around Mexico.

Enrique Pena Nieto, candidate for the oppositionInstitutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, has a double-digitlead in most polls heading into the July 1 election.